The X Factor (2004– )

Stars:

Louis Walsh, Dermot O'Leary, Simon Cowell

11 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Louis Walsh	...	Himself - Judge (213 episodes, 2004-2012)
Dermot O'Leary	...	Himself - Presenter (180 episodes, 2007-2012)
Simon Cowell	...	Himself - Judge (154 episodes, 2004-2010)
Peter Dickson	...	Himself - Voice Over (121 episodes, 2008-2012)
Dannii Minogue	...	Herself - Judge (111 episodes, 2007-2010)
Cheryl Cole	...	Herself - Judge (89 episodes, 2008-2012)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

talent show | non fiction

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Taglines:

It's time to face the music

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Genres:

Music | Reality-TV

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Details

Official Sites:

ITV [United Kingdom]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 September 2004 (UK)

Also Known As:

The X Factor U.K.

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fremantle Media, Syco Television, Talkback Thames

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Simon Cowell: [to a bad auditionee] You couldn't win this competition even if you were the only one in it!

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Connections

Referenced in Top Gear: Episode #10.10 (2007)

User Reviews

" No Mas . No Mas " ...

... Screamed Roberto Duran as he walked out of his legendary bout with Sugar Ray Leonard . After seeing the first three editions of THE X FACTOR I also have to scream " NO MORE . NO MORE " and walk away from this TV concept that is doing my brain no good . Call it what you want but it's just FLOP IDOL under a different name

And after seeing POP IDOL , American IDOL , POP STARS THE RIVALS etc we know what to expect by now . The trailers revolve around Simon Cowell being interviewed : " I think we'll be seeing some outstanding talent "

Cut to some loser making a fool of themselves

" I doubt if we'll see one bad singer "

Cut to bad singer

YAWN

In order to make a fast buck the criteria has changed . Instead of singers aged 18 to 26 the entry criteria for auditions are for singers aged 18 to 24 , 25 plus , and groups . There's also a ridiculous judge in the shape of Sharon Osbourne . Forgive me for asking but is she actually a big name in music management ? I know she manages her husband ( Obviously very badly ) who's only claim to fame is that he's one of the very few rock superstars from the 1970s to be still breathing and without a criminal conviction for downloading child porn . I also find Sharon's use of the word " fabulous " very irritating . " Oh you look fabulous darling . Darling what a fabulous voice you have . Fabulous , fabulous , fabulous " You'd have thought being married to Ozzy for all these years she'd happily believe Professor Stephen Hawking has a fabulous voice . Is she the best judge the producers could find ?

What's really irritating me about this show is that there's not enough emphasis on the deluded idiots who insist on turning up to make an idiot of themselves . There has been glimpses though not enough for my liking and it wasn't until the third episode we had a couple of classics . One was a male Princess Diana lookalike who informed the panel that he was 144 years old while another came in dressed up as Guy Fawkes and did a rap number and tried to give the judges a copy of his video which they refused because both the video and the singer stank . No I don't mean his singing was awful ( It was ) but because the Guy Fawkes lookalike had terrible B.O

Maybe it was wrong of me to comment on this show long before it has finished its run , but I am getting very fed up with this annual contest which only exists to make revenue for advertisers and a fast buck for Cowell's record label . Last year's POP IDOL was won by Michelle McManus who was a body even more unattractive than Mick McManus the wrestler and who has failed to shift records in any large numbers and hopefully the winner of THE X FACTOR will go on to even smaller things . Does the country that gave the world The Beatles really need these talent shows ?

No mas please